1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with an apparatus and method for delivering ambient air through at least one, and preferably sequentially through a plurality of chambers wherein the ambient air is passed through a chamber containing a liquid to cool the air and remove contaminants. Preferably, the present invention includes a fan chamber and a downstream chamber wherein the air is diffused and passed through a liquid which contains a decontaminating chemical prior to delivery to a room within a building or other contained space.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many people suffer from allergies or breathing problems as a result of contaminants in the air or dry air within a heated space. The presence of pollen, dust and airborne pollution cause discomfort, and in addition, airborne viruses and bacteria may pose a health hazard. While vaporizers using either cooled or heated air serve to add humidity to a space, they do little to remove contaminants or inhibit the inhalation of airborne disease.
A variety of different air filtration or aeration devices have been developed, including those set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 251,407, 5,078,759, 5,143,527 and 5,908,491, but these devices do not address the need for a system readily usable in the home or office environment, which can be maintained by the user, and both humidifies and disinfects the air. An improved device for conditioning room air is shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 7,163,571, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, but further improvements are possible.